Scouting Wheat Should Not be put on the Back Burner

With spring and consistent warmer temperatures just around the corner, winter wheat is beginning to come out of dormancy. Once winter wheat begins to start actively growing again, producers need to put an emphasis on scouting for pest and diseases.  Scouting is essential for an integrated approach to management and it helps producers make the best possible decisions about fungicide use.  Research suggest that fungicides are not needed in about two out of every five years so scouting is a must to help avoid making unnecessary fungicide applications.

One disease in particular that producers need to be scouting for is Fusarium Head Blight, also known as head scab, which is historically a devastating disease of wheat.  It caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum and causes bleached heads, salmon-orange colored spores on the glumes and shriveled grains. If contracted, wheat field can see severe yield losses and quality losses, which could include reduced test weight, damaged kernels and vomitoxin (DON).

Fusarium Head Blight typically occurs during flowering through kernel development.  Favorable conditions for head scab are when we have prolonged periods of high humidity, moderate temperatures of 75 to 85F and prolonged wet periods (all of which are not uncommon here).  In Kentucky, the Fusarium Head Blight fungus overwinters primarily in corn stubble when environmental conditions are favorable.

Mother Nature can provide the best management for Fusarium Head Blight by limiting the prolonged periods of high humidity, moderate temperatures of 75 to 85F and prolonged wet periods.  However, when she does not cooperate and we then suffer from disease pressures, chances great increase that head scab will appear.

Extension research suggest that Caramba and Prosaro are the most effective at reducing Fusarium Head Blight and vomitoxin (when compared to Proline, Folicur and non-treated) when applied at boot stage.  Strobilurin fungicides, such as Quadris and Headline, are not very effective for head scab and may actually cause DON to increase (compared to a non-treated control).

Other practices that can help reduce the risk of head scab are planting a variety with a high tolerance for FHB (which can be found in the UK Extension Variety Trial Publication), plant after soybeans and do not apply strobilurin fungicides.

Also, a great resource for determining whether or not we are at risk for Fusarium Head Blight in our area is the Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center.  This can be found at www.wheatscab.psu.edu.

For more information on Fusarium Head Blight and other wheat related diseases, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.


Upcoming Programs

March 12th Small Farm & Garden Conference at Henderson Co. Extension Office
March 14th 5pm, Ag Festival Committee Meeting
March 15th 7am, Annual Fiscal Court Breakfast
March 24th 6pm, Disaster Preparedness Program
March 25th Working with the Media to Promote Agriculture Program
March 29th 4pm, Plant Swap & Sale Committee Meeting
5pm, County Extension Council Meeting
6pm, District Board Meeting
April 13th Cover Crops Field Day, Mark Howard’s Farm